The most beautiful hikes around Yspertal
Go in search of traces of mysterious druids, the stone heart, and - if you want - an endless life journey.
You can have really been only where you have been on foot, as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe knew long before our time. So that you too can claim to have really been somewhere, we send you on the most beautiful hiking tours in the Southern Waldviertel region.
If we send you on a hiking tour in the Southern Waldviertel, we recommend that you take care of your footwear right from the start. Because on several hundred kilometres and the most beautiful hiking tours, you will thank us for being properly soled. Our routes take you past secret druid sites, huge rock formations and all kinds of beautiful views. And you don't need to climb mountains with crampons to reach the beautiful views either.
#1 Across the Ysperklamm gorge to the Druid's Path
Duration: 4:00 h | Ascent: 495 egm | medium | tour details
The Druid Trail in the Waldviertel leads through the thundering Ysperklamm and is a fascinating hiking trail for nature and culture enthusiasts. With spectacular views, impressive rock formations, mystical atmospheres and mysterious spots for retanking energy along the way, hikers can enjoy the beauty of nature and immerse themselves in the legends of the Druids. The last stage of the trail through an impressive natural forest demands stamina, and takes visitors’ breath away. Arriving at the Kaltenbergkreuz, there is a priceless view over the Southern Waldviertel region - a reward for the efforts of the climb. By the way, the Druid Trail has been awarded the "Austrian Hiking Seal of Quality” – rating "especially valuable". That already tells us a lot.
#2 At the highest elevation in the Southern Waldviertel region
Duration: 4:30 h | Ascent: 628 egm | medium | tour details
If you want to reach the top in the Southern Waldviertel region, it is best to hike the Ostrong mountain range, whose highest peak is the Big Peilstein at 1,061 metres. The summit cross is reached (thank goodness!) at the Small Peilstein - which, 1,024 metres, is still high enough. A breathtaking panorama awaits you, with views from the Weiten valley over the Danube valley and even the Alps. All those who prefer forest air to mountain air are advised to take the easier summit path, which has less far-reaching views, but the forest path that leads to the summit here is stunning!
#3 On the Burgsteinmauer with its great views
Variant A: Duration: 1:30 h | Ascent: 201 egm | medium | tour details
Variant B: Duration: 5:00 h | Ascent: 550 egm | medium | tour details
The Burgsteinmauer hiking trail has set itself one goal above all - to offer its visitors a fantastic view. It’s not for nothing that the Burgsteinmauer has been given the nickname Aussichtsberg (viewing mountain). Once you have climbed to the summit via one of the hiking trails 17a or 17b, you will be rewarded with a special kind of resting place. A wonderful spot including a bench, photo point (with picture frame) and, last but not least, a far-reaching view from the Schneeberg to the Dachstein. In summary - everything a hiker's heart desires!
#4 Hiking a heart in the form of stone
Duration: 3:00 h | Ascent: 373 egm | medium | tour details
Numerous legends and myths cannot be wrong. The strange stone formations of the Southern Waldviertel region are simply fascinating! Even if they have not yet revealed their secrets, they are at least said to have healing powers. Some see a 5-metre-high heart made of stone, others even see female curves and symbols of life. But this is only one stop on the hiking trail, which also leads to other interesting rock formations. The "Totenkopf" (“Skull”) and "Steinerne Kornmandl" (“Haystack made of rock”) are also definitely worth seeing.
#5 A high-altitude hike to Hirschenstein
Variant A: Duration: 3:30 h | Ascent: 243 egm | medium | tour details
Variant B: Duration: 5:00 h | Ascent: 428 egm | medium | tour details
The area, known for its unspoiled nature, offers a breathtaking view at the Hirschenstein summit, which is one of the highest elevations in the Waldviertel region. So, if you have a longing for dense forests, Elysian landscapes and pure nature, off you go! The climb may be challenging, but the reward is worth it - a panoramic view over the rolling hills and deep forests of Yspertal that almost takes your breath away. If you are looking to slow down even more, walk the Hirschenstein via a more demanding route starting in Laimbach am Ostrong.
A tip for long-distance hikers - Lebensweg
When the Ysper-Weitental circular hiking trail and the Kremstal trail join forces, it becomes infinite. Well, almost. The "Lebensweg" reminds you of the number eight and can thus at least be thought of as infinite. Over a total of 260 km, this trail offers hikers 13 stages, depicting human life. From the cradle to old age and beyond - that is the basic idea behind this very spectacular long-distance hiking trail. The approximate duration of the hike is 14 days! Something to be proud of! Of course, the trail can also be completed in several stages - and thus the Southern Waldviertel region invites you to visit it several times! Worth knowing for this trail - there is also a travel guide, the Lebensweg hiking map.
